1) “Dolly Parton: Here I Am” (2019), 8-10 p.m., CW. One of 12 children in a rural family, Parton (shown here) sang at the Grand Ole Opry at 13 and moved to Nashville the day after graduating from high school. She’s had 110 songs on the country charts (25 at No. 1) and had a 59-year marriage to Carl Dean, who died this month. Here’s a profile, with performance clips. Read more…
For the Fox network, this is changeover time.
Ending their seasons are three scripted shows – one good, one not and one surprisingly excellent. Their spring replacements are coming, but two of them will be back next season.
If you ignore animated ones (please don’t), Fox only has four scripted shows. Now come season-finales for “Animal Control” (shown here) and “Going Dutch” (9 and 9:30 p.m. Thursday, March 13) and “Doc” (9 p.m. Tuesday, March 18).
Here’s a glimpse at the three finales, plus a note on what’s next. Read more…
1) “NCIS: Sydney,” 8 p.m., CBS. It’s been a rough time for wellness centers or resorts on TV. We’ve seen them go bad on “Elsbeth,” “Tracker,” “White Lotus” and more; now its this show goes from wellness to guns (shown here). That’s followed by “Fire Country” (trying to keep a ship from crashing during a fierce storm) and “SWAT” (hostages at a bus station. Read more…
1) “Animal Control” season-finale, 9 p.m., Fox. An excellent – but too short – season concludes with a fresh crisis: Frank (Joel McHale, right) botched the funding for a kennel for dogs awaiting adoption; then he reluctantly begged a “dog expert” (Ken Jeong) for the money. Now the kennel’s grand opening is set … but no dogs are available. The team scrambles to find some. Read more…
(This is the ninth chapter of a book-in-progress, “Television, and How It Got That Way.” For the previous chapters, scroll down under “stories.”)
We’ve always assumed that three is the logical number for anything.
It’s the number of strikes, outs, Stooges, little pigs, blind mice and little kittens that lost their mittens. But is it the ideal number of over-the-air, commercial TV networks?
It seemed that way. Early efforts at a fourth network sputtered, despite such stars as Jackie Gleason (shown here), Ernie Kovacs, boxers and a bishop. Other tries failed. For 30 years, it was ABC, CBS and NBC. Read more…
1) “Good Cop/Bad Cop,” 9 p.m., CW. With a frothy blend of drama and comedy, this proves that a good mystery doesn’t always need a murder. On her day off from the police station, Lily helps make a low-budget movie based on a local legend. Soon, there are eerie twists and the police survey the woods (shown here). Also, a TV newsman keeps popping up; the result is a delight. Read more…
1) “Night Court,” 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, NBC. It’s time for a musical courtroom. An iffy producer claims he’ll put Dan’s life story on Broadway. It takes too long, but the episode does end with a rousing number. Dan and Abby (John Larroquette, shown here, and Melissa Rauch) are OK; others show strong vocal talent. Read more…
\For screenwriters, there’s a helpful chaos theory.
It’s one of the reasons that “Anora” (shown here) – in theaters now, on Hulu starting March 17 – was a worthy winner of five Academy Awards, including best picture.
That still doesn’t mean everyone should rush to see it. This film has enough of many things – sex, nudity, language – to disrupt fragile souls and bring arrests in fragile nations.
But it also has much more – great characters, perfect performances (especially by Oscar-winner Mikey Madison) and clever chaos. Read more…
1) “Ringo & Friends at the Ryman,” 8-10 p.m., CBS. As a Beatle, Ringo Starr recorded Buck Owens’ “Act Naturally”; it was clear he likes country. Now, 60 years later, Starr (shown here), 84, does that song and others with Brenda Lee, Sheryl Crow, Emmylou Harris, Jamey Johnson, Mickey Guyton, Jack White, Molly Tuttle, Rodney Crowell and more. Read more…
Media people keep straining to reach the “early adapters” – the people who are always ready to try something new.
But now TV networks are leaning tbe other way. They need the late adapters … and country music is getting fresh attention. Consider:
— The Grand Ole Opry – snubbed by TV and cable for decades – is getting three hours of prime time on NBC and Peacock. On March 19, Blake Shelton (shown here) will host a 100-year celebration that includes approximately everyone.
— That’s shortly after two other events: On March 9 (8-10 p.m., ABC) country star Carrie Underwood takes over as an “American Idol” judge . The next day (8-10 p.m., CBS), Ringo Starr is at the Ryman Auditorium (the Opry’s former home), surrounded by country singers.
— And this fall, CBS has Shelton and Keith Urban in “The Road,” focusing on emerging country stars. Read more…
Best-bets for Feb. 8: Super Bowl … and much more 
Best-bets for Feb. 7: First full day of Olympics 
Best-bets for Feb. 6: The games begin 
